Saute

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Serve steamed rice, and drizzle oriental sesame oil and rice vinegar over blanched snow peas. Mango sorbet topped with sliced tropical fruits is the perfect finale.

This dish goes well with boiled or roasted small red or Yukon Gold potatoes.

Dja'jeh Burd'aan b'Teen Dja'jeh Burd'aan b'Teen is particularly liked by children because of the sweet, familiar flavor of orange juice. Serve over white rice. The dish tastes even better reheated the next day, once the chicken has marinated in the juice and spices.

A soy-sake marinade is the base for a delicious reduction sauce. For convenience, begin this one day ahead and refrigerate the steak in its marinade overnight.

I was first tempted to serve these with a dollop of crème fraîche, or vanilla ice cream, but I resisted because I didn't want to dilute their flavor, and I was right to do so, for the balance of flavors is perfect. Muscovado sugar is a very dark, usually organic, unrefined sugar from Madagascar. If you can't find it, simply use dark brown sugar.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 25 min

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 45 min

Toasted onion bagels are great with this.

Braised Broccoli This dish is to Christmas Eve dinner in Amalfi what apple pie is to July Fourth in middle America: an absolute necessity. The Amalfitani choose a leafy, lighter colored broccoli from Campania for this dish; the closest substitute in this country is broccoli rabe; choose a bunch with as many leaves as possible.

"My husband, Greg, and I cook together a lot," writes Sara Hainsworth of Frederick, Maryland, "which is fun and makes weeknight dinners and cooking for friends easier to manage now that we're starting our own family. I worked before our son, William, was born, but as my husband says, William is my boss now. So I count on quick, dependably good dishes like this more than ever." Sara says that this soup tastes even better the next day (which makes it an ideal party dish). But we thought it was delicious the same day, too.

This is used in four of the dishes in the menu; the recipe makes enough for them all.

Peperoncini, breadsticks, and orzo mixed with sliced oil-cured olives would round out the main course beautifully. End with raspberries and sweetened whipped cream.

These vegetables would complement not only lamb chops but roast chicken as well.

Fennel seeds, balsamic vinegar, roasted peppers, and caramelized onions really rev up this easy side dish.